I learned something about maps and happenstance the summer I drove a long way to a family reunion. Maps give you the satellite view but not the content. 

The family reunion was not mine, it belonged to the person I was dating at the time. I was the outsider who hung around the other outsider (arguably an insider) while the family took professional pictures until someone said they wanted a picture with us (the outsiders) for the unspoken "just in case". 

"We'll just take our own selfie," he smirks and snaps a photo of us. I had an ally. 

An old friend happened to be in the same random city for an internship that summer. What were the chances? We made plans to meet for dinner. I drove away from the family reunion and followed maps to a vacant parking lot and empty restaurant- things the map failed to tell me. 

When my friend arrived he gave one glance at the deserted building, laughed, and tossed open the passenger seat to his car. "Hop in, I'll drive." The nicest words to hear. 

I was sporting a fresh purple eye from being elbowed in the face during a serious game of pool basketball. He was sporting sharp business clothes and a tired look on his face. After days living with a big extended family I had just met, I was tired too. No map directs you through that. 

Maps are only helpful to a certain point. They don't work with people, really. They don't show you lines of comfort zones or boarders of compatibility. Maps just show you a blueprint from engineered perfection of calculations and work. Maps are brilliant- and lacking. River there. Bridge there. Park there. Skyscrapers here. Tunnel there. Highway here. Landmark, store, street, restaurant, destination.

We climbed wooden stairs to an outdoor deck. Massive burgers and french fries piled on our plates. The sun beamed like mad on the patio. 

"CHEERS."

We caught up. Joked. Laughed. Reminisced. Speculated. He blew off steam from work. I listened and validated (every now and then a good get-it-all-out session is all you need). I told him I was debating registering for a race and shared my doubts. He listened and said with certainty: You can do it. End of story. (every now and then, a vote of confidence is all you need) We both left dinner with new ambitions. I have never seen that city or family again but I still see my old friend from time to time.